A shopping centre in Doha

Doha Mosque

Doha amazes with its glitzy new hotels, towering sand dunes, ancient rock carvings and distinctive architecture. The oil-rich capital of Qatar only recently began welcoming tourists to its beautiful city, issuing tourist visas from 1989.

Beginning its life as Al-Bida, Doha is a city that is sure to intrigue tourists hailing from around the world. With the city’s wealth almost completely dependent on oil and natural gas, Doha is a wealthy country that has seen dramatic expansion and rapid development. Luxurious towers sit alongside modest homes, expatriates live with Qatari locals, distinctive modern architecture sits next to fine gold-domed mosques.

One of the most popular of the 260-plus mosques that can be found in Doha is the Grande Mosque. The mosque’s many domes overlook the city and the mosque is considered one of the largest in the Persian Gulf Region.

Buildings in the West Bay District of Doha

Another site that is a popular place to see for visitors to the city is the “Corniche”. It is a 7 mile long stretch of paved walkways, grass knolls and gorgeous views of the Arabian Gulf. Turquoise blue water and the city’s famous Palm Tree Island can also be seen from this ample point.

There are also museums that will give background to the rich cultural Qatari history with its roots in Arabic and Islamic culture. Places like the Qatar National Museum and Aquarium and the Doha Ethnographic Museum are sure to be of interest. The Doha Ethnographic Museum in particular should be appealing to those of all ages – it does not only show the daily lifestyles of Qatari families, but the museum is housed in the last remaining traditional wind tower of its type in Doha.

The discovery of natural gas has also made the city a major hub for business in the Persian Gulf Region. As a result, it is one of the only cities in Qatar that enjoys a wide range of top class international hotels. Intercontinental, Ritz-Carlton and Sheraton are just some well-known hotelling names that have made their presence known in the city.

Doha is one of the most unassuming cities in the Persian Gulf. Its beautiful views, spectacular architecture and rich culture will draw visitors in when they stop over in one of the region’s major hubs, not even knowing what a fantastic minefield of wonder that they accidentally stumbled into.